Credible
Marketing
Credibility
and Trust - Keys to Online Success
By
Loren Beckart
New
people make their first online purchase every day.
Even when the purchase is something minor, the visitor's
decision whether to buy from your website always involves
establishing your credibility and inspiring their
trust.
After all, the buyer is taking a leap of faith that
when
they hand over their credit card information, address,
and
so on, they are actually going to get something in
return.
Even to a sophisticated online buyer, first time purchases
from an unfamiliar website can feel risky.
A
variety of strategies for establishing credibility
online can be applied to give your site visitors confidence
in you. They're far more likely to make a purchase
when
they are assured that they aren't going to be fooled
or
disappointed or ripped off.
The
foundation for establishing trust is simple: make
sure
that every bit of your sales copy is truthful. When
what
you say is true, it just sounds true. Certainly, you
want
to be persuasive in describing your offer and benefits,
but
resist any temptation to exaggerate or evade.
Next,
include details that make your descriptions
realistic. For example, don't use estimates or rounded
numbers. Instead, use specific quantities. Say the
exact
amount, "3,857" rather than saying, "Nearly
4,000."
Make
sure there is a human presence on the site. A
personal photograph, contact information, and so on.
Become
a real person to the shopper by giving verifiable
evidence of your expertise and legitimacy. For example,
if
you have written and published articles on topics
related
to the product or service, or if you have related
credentials, include a reference to them.
Use
favorable materials from outside sources. Examples
include independent test results, reviews, quotes
from
experts about similar products to yours, awards, etc.
These
third party materials virtually amount to endorsements.
And
of course, if you have endorsements, highlight them
in your
copy.
Definitely
use testimonials. In online sales copy,
testimonials should come early. Although audio is
tested
and proven to get better results, use text if that's
what
you've got. Start today, if you haven't been collecting
testimonials already. Begin by asking for feedback
from
people who are already your customers. To get testimonials
for a new product, give some fr~ee trials. Make sure
there
are no strings attached so that you get honest feedback
-
ask that the fr~ee trial users give a testimonial
only if
they think it is truly deserved.
Characteristics
of good testimonials include the
following. First and last name: Fred W. isn't as credible
as Fred Walters. When possible, include city, state,
type
of business or business name. But don't include a
link to
their site or a tag-line. That smacks of exchanging
fr~ee
advertising for the testimony. Also, the testimonial
should
be brief, focusing on a single aspect. As much as
possible,
only use those that talk about measurable results.
Use
some or all of these strategies to establish
credibility and trust, and you will greatly enhance
your
sales. In the end, it doesn't matter if your offer
is
terrific and your product is miraculous unless the
prospect
believes in you.
---
Loren
Beckart is Director of Marketing for
ClickTracs Advertising,
providing highly targeted visitors to online businesses.
For additional articles from a leading resource on
the subject of marketing online, visit www.ClickTracs.com.
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